Bill allows married women to retain maiden last name
A measure allowing married women to retain their maiden surname has been approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives.
House Bill4605, with a vote of 277, seeks to amend the particular section of the country’s 72-year-old New Civil Code (NCC).
Under the current version of Article 370 of Title XIII, Book III of the Republic Act No. 386, as amended, a married woman has three options:
(1) use her maiden first name and surname and add her husband’s surname; (2) use her maiden first name and her husband’s surname; or (3) use her husband’s full name then prefix a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.”.
The proposed Art. 370 under HB 4605 introduces a fourth option retaining the maiden first name and surname, in other words, a married woman may choose not to introduce any change to her name.
One of the authors, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said that although the Civil Code currently allows three options for identification, this bill is relevant and timely to prove the commitment of the House of Representatives in promoting equality of men and women.
“It is not enough that our jurisprudence says that a married woman has an option, but not a duty, to use the surname of the husband. It is important that we institutionalize that they can decide to retain both their maiden name and surname,” he added.
AUTHOR PROFILE
Nation
